REVIEW: Haiku KL Brings Bangsar’s Telawi Buzz Back to Life
1 hour ago
Quite a few years ago, we ate and drank regularly in Bangsar. It really was a no-brainer to head there almost religiously every weekend to join friends and to relax in one of several bars. There was never a problem if a bar was not living up to expectations, as you simply moved on to the next one. It wasn’t unusual to sample the beverages in up to three bars in one night.
But trends change, and for a time, Bangsar wasn’t the happening place that it once was; the pandemic years didn’t help either, of course. However, now things have come full circle, and in the last couple of years, Bangsar has really bounced back in a great way. The Telawi district, which has always been one of the more favoured parts of Bangsar, is once again hopping. We recently checked out Haiku KL (or just Haiku, if you please), located on Jalan Telawi 2.
While settling into our first beverage at Haiku in the epicentre of the Bangsar action, we realized that we hadn’t had a night out in Bangsar for a very long time. There was no conscious or purposeful decision to avoid Bangsar; it was just that other places opened, and we ended up exploring other areas.
However, it was nice to be back in Bangsar. Haiku is a very pleasant place to dine, drink, catch up with friends, and even listen to some live music. It was what we thought might be a quiet Tuesday evening, but we were surprised to see at least 20 other patrons in the outlet.
Hybridized terms like ‘restobar’ or ‘gastropub’ best sum up Haiku, as it serves both meals and drinks, probably with a bit more of an emphasis on the drinks, going by what was on the outlet’s other tables when we dropped by. The impression is given that most are there to drink and to supplement their libations with snacks and light meals. Admittedly, we arrived during happy hours, so during the evening, food began to appear on many tables, including ours.
Of course, the name ‘haiku’ is derived from a traditional Japanese three-line poem with a five, seven, five syllable structure, focusing on nature, imagery, and a specific moment in time. While there is temptation to wax lyrically in structured poetry about the food and beverages, we decided it was best to just get on with the enjoyment of both.
While the name is Japanese, the offerings are a fusion of Japanese and Indian, with Chef Pani, the owner-chef being Indian, clearly thinking, “Why not?” Indeed, why not? There is always a place for innovation in the culinary arts, even if it hasn’t been tried elsewhere. However, this also means that beef is not served in the restaurant, so the menu is largely centred around seafood and lamb, and to a lesser extent, chicken and vegetarian options.
BITES AT HAIKUThough food may play second fiddle to the drinks at Haiku, the in-house Chef Pani has done an admirable job crafting a very nice line-up of appealing and tempting dishes. We sampled just a few things from the menu, which is very nicely presented with descriptions and colour photos. (We also like that it’s a real, physical menu – no QR code-scanning required!) First up, we had the Tuna Tataki (RM35) and amusingly named Jacuzzi Prawns (RM37).
For the tuna dish, slices of pan-seared, sesame-crusted maguro tuna are placed atop a fried wasabi rice cake, and festooned with chuka wakame otufuku. We liked this dish quite a lot, but we absolutely loved the prawn starter. A half-dozen large tiger prawns are bathed in a buttery, garlicky chilli oil sauce – the namesake jacuzzi, we assume – and served with a generous portion of shibuya toast. The prawns were fresh and tender and the toast went to good use soaking up as much of the sauce as we could manage.
Continuing with the prawn theme, we ordered the Sakura Prawn Kothu Rice (RM41), a baked large freshwater prawn with wok-fried rice, an omega egg cooked sunny-side up, rice crackers, and fresh slaw. This is a new dish on the menu, and we believe it will have its share of fans. We also tried the Sankura Meen Polichatu (RM45), which comprised a nice red snapper fillet with onigiri, tomato chutney, tamarind dip, and meen curry.
From the vegetarian menu, we ordered the Mushroom Poriyal (RM23), a good portion of tempura-fried king oyster mushrooms served with a citrus aioli sauce. Served hot and fresh, this was a lovely dish to enjoy with our drinks. Another dish we ordered was something of a mixed bag, the Kashmiri Chicken Donburi (RM39), an attractive hodge-podge of treats that might lead you to believe it’s something like a sharing platter, but it’s really not. Although this legally could be shared, there’s really not enough to go around for two unless supplemented by other dishes. There are two small chicken skewers, and they’re quite frankly so delicious (and also the dish’s namesake), you’ll only be left upset that you don’t have more to eat! There is a very small portion of spiced edamame beans which we felt was an odd combination in comparison to the usual sprinkling of plain sea salt, some of the same tempura-fried mushroom poriyal that we had separately, and a portion of nasi kerabu-like rice with a sunny-side up egg, along with a bit of sambal and gravy. The inclusion of a spoonful of kimchi (which is neither Indian nor Japanese) just confused us.
As an interesting side note, the rice served with the various dishes – and there were different types of rice – was uniformly excellent. We would say the rice we had flirted with perfection every time, so if really good rice is your thing, you probably won’t be disappointed here at all!
DRINKS AT HAIKUWe also discovered that cocktails were a specialty, and we were encouraged to indulge in the comprehensive signature selection. Classic cocktails were also on offer, so a classic Negroni was ordered (equal parts gin, red vermouth, and Campari) and it lived up to expectations. Apart from an oversized ice cube, it was a classic as they come without any adornments or embellishments. It was priced at RM40, which is a fair price in a city where the sky tends to be the limit with cocktails.
We also sampled a Kaffir Bloom (RM36) from mixologist Fin’s genuinely creative line-up of cocktails. This one brought together gin infused with kaffir lime leaf, melon liqueur, and honeydew essence. With its espuma-like foam crown, this was a refreshing and well-balanced cocktail that didn’t obscure the gin’s character, but rather let it take centre stage with some very capable costars. We also enjoyed the Midnight Smoke (RM36), with bourbon working nicely with a hazelnut liqueur and fresh citrus, topped with a lovely gula Melaka foam. We found ourselves wondering if this cocktail would work as well with a smoky Scotch whisky as opposed to a bourbon, but certainly enjoyed it as it was presented.
Most of the cocktails on the menu are priced at the same RM36, and we’d return in a minute to sample some more of them. We feel that cocktail aficionados will be very pleased with the creativity on display here, and they’ll be quite happy as well to not be charged an exorbitant premium in the process.
Bottle packages are available as double or triple bottles for those who want to get into the spirit of an evening out. Beverage packages are offered, basically along the lines of the more you buy, the cheaper it is. The price of beer (Heineken, Tiger, and Guinness on tap) varies during the day for happy hours and then offers extend to three glasses, five glasses and for partying groups, 10 glasses (RM160 nett). Once again, we believe these prices to be very fair, and with the prospect of good food and live music also being offered, it’s easy to see why Haiku was doing brisk business even on a Tuesday evening!
Wines are served, but they are not given the attention that other beverages receive, and we were told beers and cocktails are the main draw at Haiku. Nevertheless, there are four sparkling wines (Möet du Chandon RM650, Veuve Clicquot RM700, Dom Perignon RM1,350, and Mum Marlborough RM580), three reds, and four whites. We tried the white wine by the glass, Veranza Blanco (Chardonnay) at RM30 (RM150/bottle). This is an easy-drinking wine from Spain, which, when served nicely chilled, is refreshing and a nice accompaniment to the seafood dishes on the menu. We particularly loved it with the aforementioned Jacuzzi Prawns.
The other three whites include an Italian Pinot Grigio (RM200), a Penfolds Riesling (RM370), and a Penfolds Chardonnay (RM370). For red wines, patrons can choose from the Veranza Tinto (RM30 and RM150), a Ruffino Chianti (incorrectly listed as a Merlot at RM200), and a Penfolds Shiraz/Mataro (RM370).
For a bar that puts most of the spotlight on cocktails and beer packages, we think Haiku still carries a pretty decent selection of wines, and whatever your drink of choice, you’ll find it at a reasonable price, served with efficiency and friendliness, and plenty of lively atmosphere. And should you find yourself feeling a bit hungry, you won’t be disappointed with the creative and tasty dishes on offer. Haiku KL is an easy neighbourhood restobar to recommend, and if you’re like us and haven’t been to this area in a while, you’ll find the pleasures of soaking up the vibes in Bangsar’s Telawi district all too familiar and enjoyable.
Additional text by David Bowden
Location and DetailsHaiku KL17 Jalan Telawi 2Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
T: 017-525 5757Instagram: @haiku.kl
Reservations encouraged
Live music on Mondays and Tuesdays; the Haiki Club (adjacent to the restaurant) opens nightly Wednesdays through Sundays. Follow them on Instagram @haikuclub.kl.
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